Candle and holder



Sept. 30, 1958 A. E. GoDsHALL CANDLE AND HOLDER Filed Feb. l, 1957 United States Patent CANDLE AND HGLDER Alvin E. Godshall, Milton, Mass.

Application February 1, 1957, Serial No. 637,748

7 Claims. (Cl. 6727) This invention aims to provide a novel candle especially adapted for candle-lanterns and other holders in which the candle has automatic feed toward the flame location as the candle body is consumed by burning, together with an improved assembly of candle and holder.

While the candle of the invention is susceptible of use in any holder of appropriate size, it is peculiarly adapted for use in lifter-type holders, whether or not of the candle-lantern type herein illustrated wherein a chimney or other enclosure shields the candle fiame against drafts.

In the drawings illustrating by way of example one embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a vertical cross-section of a holder and' candle assembly shown as of a lantern or lamp-like type;

Fig. 2 shows separately in elevation a candle such as that of Fig. l and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section as on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Considering first Fig. 2, the candle proper or candle unit 5 comprises a conventional candle wick 6 of any preferred absorbent capillary material adapted to conduct molten fuel of the candle body to the combustion area or flame position. The core or wick 6 is encased in an elongate solid body 8 `of uniform cross-sectional shape, usually circular, formed of any preferred candle material such as Wax, paraffin, spermaceti, tallow or other natural or synthetic substance, or combustion thereof. Desirably, but not necessarily, the candle body 8 is of the type having a relatively hard or slow-melting outer layer or shell, or of increasing hardness outwardly from the core or wick 6, as commercially known; such selection and arrangement of the candle material tends to concentrate the heat of combustion centrally and to minimize friction between the outer surface of the candle and the holder 20 to be described.

In accordance with the invention there is novelly incorporated with the candle body 8 a coil spring 10 of the tension type concentrically disposed and having the Wick 6 extending substantially centrally through it. The wire or stock of the spring is desirably of non-round or generally rectangular or other angular cross-section substantially as shown, for guiding relation with the holder wall and for maximum clearing action as to any molten deposit along it as the candle is consumed in use. The incorporation or embedding of the spring 10 with respect to the candle body 8 is accomplished while the spring 10 is held under predetermined initial tension, and as by dipping into or having the candle-forming substance poured, molded or otherwise brought into at least partial encasing relation with the coils of the spring while the spring is yso tensioned. In the assembled product relation of the spring and the candle body the outer edge or narrow face of the spring coils may project slightly beyond or approximately coincide with the outer surface of the substance of the candle body and with the top and bottom end members 12, 16 to be described.

In cooperation with the spring 10 the candle 5 further comprises spring terminals, anchors or end members 12 2,853,866 Patented Sept. 30, 1958 ICC and 16 at the respective ends of the candle body 8. These are shown in the form of flanged discs or cups. The nverted top candle cup 12 has a central aperture 13, see Fig. l, for extension of the wick 6 through it with adequate clearance to allow for melting of the candle material adjacent the wick flame. Such top retainer or cup 12 has a down-turned circumferential fiange 14 fitting about the candle body. The adjacent upper end of the spring 10 is attached to this top cup 12 as by welding, brazing or otherwise as indicated at 15, 15. At the lower end of the candle 5 there is provided a similar but upright and preferably imperforate bottom cup 16, having the circumferential vertical flange 17 fitted about the lower end of the candle body 8. The lower end of the spring 10 is attached to the bottom cup 16, for example similarly as for the top cup 12, as indicated at 18, 18.

In Fig. 1 the novel tensioned-spring-containing candle such as that of Fig. 2 is shown assembled for use with a holder, designated as a whole by the numeral 20.

While such holder 20 may be variously designed and constructed it generally comprises a supporting base 21, usually adapted to stand on a flat surface and presenting an upright hollow tubular case 23 of circular or other uniform cross-sectional shape conformant to that of the given candle 5. The internal diameter of the case 23 in any event is slightly greater than that of the intermediate portion of the candle body 8, and such as to receive the top and bottom cups 12 and 16 of the candle with a sliding fit. Thus the candle and its bottom cup 16 at the flange 17 thereof have low-friction slidable guided relation with the inner wall of the holder case 23.

At the upper end the holder case 23 is equipped with a centrally open cap 25, shown as a double flanged member. The dependent flange 26 of the pair receives the upper end of the case 23 and is held thereon preferably detachably as by a bayonet slot and button connection, threading or otherwise as indicated at 27. The other and upstanding flange 28 if employed is adapted to receive and frictionally position a smoke chimney 40 for shielding the flame at the exposed end of the wick 6. The latter projects through the central opening 29 of the top cap 25 of the case, as well as through the top cup 12 of the candle 5. The horizontal portion of the top cap 25 constitutes an abutment stop for the upper end of the candle body.

The lower end of the holder case 23 is furnished with a detachable bottom cap 30 removably secured to the lower end of the case 23 by suitable means such as a bayonet formation -or threading as indicated at 31.

The holder case 23 and the candle 5 in the initial status of the latter are relatively proportioned in length so as to provide below the candle when the latter is in upward abutment with the top cap 25 a chamber 32 for `containing a coil compression spring 35. The latter may be retained directly between the horizontal wall of the bottom cap 30 and the bottom cup 16 of the candle. Preferably however there is provided in the spring charnber 32 a slidable spring-guiding and aligning element or cross-head 37 in the form of an inverted cup of which the main horizontal wall engages the underface of the bottom candle cup 16. A dependent annular side wall 38 receives spring 35 within it and has slidably guided engagement with the inner wall of the holder case 23.

In Fig. 1 the candle and holder assembly is shown ssubstantially as in use position when starting with a fresh candle 5. At such time the case-carried under spring 35 is under maximum compression and the candleembedded spring 10 is in its initial status of maximum tension. These two springs are so constructed and arranged as to relative length, diameter, weight, size and character of material and number of coils that they functionally complement each other throughout the useful life of a candle 5 in a manner to maintain the flame end of the wick 6 always at the same desired level with respect to the holder and the chimney, as shown for example in Fig. l. Thus the candle llame is continuously presented in position of maximum efficiency for illumination, despite the decreasing length of the candle body as it is consumed under the burning action.

Accordingly the structures of the two springs are predeterminedly calculated to afford the desired relative power for each. It will be understood that the candlecarried spring 10, being initially under tension seeking to bring the retainers or end cups 12 and.16 together, exerts an upward pull on the candle body 8, the candle as a whole being held up and stopped against the holder top 25 by the holder spring 3S. As the candle body is gradually consumed a correspondingly increasing portion of the candle spring becomes exposed. Such exposed coils or coil portions being thus released from tensioning restraint tend to close together and to draw upwardly the tensioned spring portion within the unconsumed part of the candle. The decreasing tension of the increasingly exposed portion of the candle spring 10 is correlated with the decreasing mass of the candle body so that the upward pull is effective substantially throughout the useful life of the candle. Complementally, the compression spring of the holder exerts a continuing and likewise decreasing up thrusting action' upon the candle unit 5 as a whole, effective to keep it at all times in operative position up against the top cap 25 of the holder. Further, the length and strength of the holdercarried spring 3S are so calculated with respect to the length of the holder case 23 and of the candle 5, and to the spring 10 in the latter, as to effectl the proper nal degree of consumption of the candle.` This if desired may be a substantially total consumption, or to a point at which an insuicient wick length is left to support combustion, or some stage short thereof so as to leave a short candle butt for removal. In such final candle status the vholder spring 35 is substantially fully opened or upwardly extended and the candle spring 10 is substantially fully relaxed and closed together against the holder top cap 2S.

I am aware that candle holders have heretofore been provided having lifter springs intended to feed an ordinary candle, as for example in the patents to Gossack 9l2,ll3,-Hauser et al. 1,078,198, Nash 1,138,240 and Aungst 1,299,537. So far as known to me however it has not heretofore been proposed to provide a candle wherein closeable feed-controlling spring means is incorporated with and as a part of the candle itself, nor to provide a candle and holder assembly wherein such springcontaining candle is co-ordinated, constructed and arranged in conjunction with a compression spring of a Candlestick, candle-lamp, candle-lantern or other candle holder, or in wall-cleaning and guided relation therewith, as herein illustrated and described by way of example.

The means of the 4invention avoids the various prior difficulties of sticking, clogging, flame extinguishing and short burning period heretofore generally encountered. It affords trouble-free continuous burning with maximum flame brightness always at the top of the holder in a constantly maintained position. Thus burning periods of seven days or more may be had, limited only by the initial overall size of the candle and the holder means. As previously indicated the coils of the candle-carried spring as they become freed at the consumed portion of the candle body, as Well as the outer margin of any laterally projecting coils serve to clean or scrape the holder inner wall surface and so to minimize any collection or bonding of the candle substance thereat. The device as illustrated also affords ready candle unit replacement, in a general manner similar to that for replacement of batteries in tubular ashlights. The preitself as well as the holder structure such as illustrated minimize the need for cleaning but nonetheless complete disassembly and re-assembly are easily performed.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof illustrated and described herein, and I set forth its scope in my following claims.

I claim:

l. A candle and holder assembly comprising an upright tubular holder having a closed bottom and a centrally open top wall, a compression spring in the holder at the bottom wall thereof, and a candle slidably receivable in the holder and having a coil spring at least partially embedded therein under tension, the candle being urged up against the holder top wall by the holder compression spring in conjunction with the lifting tension of the candle spring as the candle is consumed in burning.

2. In combination, a candle having a longitudinal coil spring with radiaily inner portions of the coils embedded in it under initial tension, top and bottom retainer members at the candle ends secured to the adjacent spring ends, a hollow tubular holder for the candle, a candlepositioning stop ou the holder, and holder-carried means in addition to the candle spring urging the candle up against the stop.

3. A candle comprising a central wick, a surrounding normally solid elongate body of candle material enclosing the wick, top and bottom retainers at the respective candle ends, the top retainer centrally apertured for spaced passage of the wick, and a coil spring carried under initial tension upon the candle body and attached to the retainers at the corresponding ends. p

4. A candle comprising an enlongate body of candle material containing a central wick, and longitudinal coil spring means concentric with and laterally spaced from the wick with coil portions encased and initially open and held under tension in the candle body so las to Aexert longitudinally contrastive force thereon.

5. A candle comprising a wick, a body of candle material centrally containing the wick, and a coil spring around and substantially spaced laterally from the wick with at leastportions of the constituent coils encased in the candle body with the coils initially relatively open.

6. A candle and holder assembly comprising a candlereceiving tube with a centrally open top abutment for th'e llame end of the candle and a supporting bottom abutment below the candle, at least one of the abutments removably engaged with the tube, a candle slidably re.- ceivable in the tube and having a `coil spring coaxially carried by it with the coils initially relatively open, and a coil spring centrally in the tube between the bottom abutment `and the candle bottom and with the coils initially relatively closed when the candle is installed, said springs being in substantial axial alignment and being relatively proportioned in length so that with either of them maximum open and the other maximum closed the opposite ends of the pair are operatively associated with the respective abutments, `and said springs being relatively proportioned in power so that the actions of opening of the tube spring' and closing of the candle spring supplement each other lcontinuously to present the flame end of the candle adjacent the top abutment .under burning consumption of the candle throughout the useful life thereof.

7. A candle and holder assembly 'according to claim 6 including a structure for the candle and the candle-receiving tube wherein the candle spring and the tube inner wall are relatively lproportioned circumferentially to afford guiding and sliding clearant coaction between the spring coils and said wall in the use of the candle and holder assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 469,228 Italy ;-..V- Feb. v20, 1952 

